Content
- what are vertebrate animals
- Characteristics of vertebrate animals
- What are invertebrate animals
- General characteristics of invertebrate animals
- Vertebrate Animal List
- Is fish vertebrate or invertebrate?
- List of invertebrate animals
Are you looking for examples of vertebrate and invertebrate animals? Planet Earth has an extensive biodiversity composed of the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom (where we include ourselves, as human beings). Some characteristics of these kingdoms are similar, such as the fact that they feed on plants and other animals, in addition to having a relationship with the environment through the sense organs: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.
The animal kingdom is divided into numerous groups, but one certainty we have is that the kingdom can be separated into two large parts: the vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Discover, in this PeritoAnimal article, what are the characteristics of each of these groups and what are vertebrate and invertebrate animals. You will also find a list of vertebrate animals and a list of invertebrate animals with examples from each group.
what are vertebrate animals
The main characteristic of these animals is the fact that have vertebrae, a specific type of bone that, combined, form the spine. The spine's function is to protect, support the spinal cord and connect it to the nervous system. These animals have specific characteristics, have bilateral symmetry and a skull that protects their brain.
your body is divided into head, trunk and extremities, with some species also having a tail. Another important feature is the fact that vertebrate animals have a different sex. There are approximately 62,000 species of animals that are part of this group.
Characteristics of vertebrate animals
Vertebrate animals can perform differentiated movements, as they have muscles and skeleton. In addition to this ability, they also have intelligence and good cognition skills as a result of their well-developed nervous system.
Comprised of the brain and spinal cord, your central nervous system controls organ functions. For these and other reasons, vertebrates have many advantages compared to invertebrates. However, invertebrate animals exist in greater numbers.
What are invertebrate animals
Invertebrate animals are characterized by the absence of vertebrae in their body, although they are the most of the animal kingdom: represent about 97% of all animal species.
Invertebrate animals do not have the same colonization and adaptation capacity as vertebrate animals.
General characteristics of invertebrate animals
They do not have a backbone, skull or vertebrae. They feed on vegetables and other animals as they are unable to produce their own food. In addition, invertebrates can be found on land, in the case of insects, in water with molluscs and in the air with butterflies and mosquitoes, for example.
They are soft-bodied, aerobic, multicellular and may also have an exoskeleton that protects from threats and aids in locomotion. However, invertebrates do not have the endoskeleton that vertebrates do. It is not only vertebrates that have considerable sizes, invertebrates too, such as the fish tapeworm, which can measure up to 10 meters, and the giant squid, which can reach 18 meters.
Vertebrate Animal List
Vertebrate animals can be classified into 5 main groups: mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles. The following animals are examples of vertebrate animals:
- Dog
- Kangaroo
- Gorilla
- Sauá
- camel
- Dromedary
- Lion
- Panther
- Elephant
- Tiger
- shark
- Hipoppotamus
- rhinoceros
- Cat
- Parrot
- cow
- Horse
- Sheep
- iguana
- rabbit
- Pony
- Chinchilla
- Mouse
- rat
- Canary
- Goldfinch
- Lynx
- Man
- Giraffe
- Skunk
- Laziness
- Armadillo Canastra
- Anteater
- Bat
- Marmoset
- Golden Lion tamarin
- Monkey
- Guara wolf
- Fox
- Ocelot
- Ounce
- Leopard
- Ferret
- Otter
- Hipoppotamus
- Whale
- Dolphin
- manatee
- boto
- Boar
- Deer
- Moose
- squirrel
- Ox
- Preá
- Hare
Is fish vertebrate or invertebrate?
A question that usually comes up when we talk about the subject is whether fish is vertebrate or invertebrate. You fish are vertebrate animals, as their bodies are covered with scales.
List of invertebrate animals
Invertebrate animals can also be classified into different groups, precisely into 6 types: arthropods, molluscs, worms, echinoderms, jellyfish and porifers.
The following animals are examples of invertebrate animals:
- Octopus
- Mosquito
- Bee
- ant
- Spider
- Jellyfish
- Urchin
- snail
- Coral
- Slug
- Oyster
- Mussel
- squid
- Centipede
- Scorpion
- Dragon-fly
- praying mantis
- Crab
- Lobster
- cricket
- Cicada
- Fly
- Butterfly
- stick insect
- spiders
- Centipedes
- Mites
- ticks
- Octopuses
- Starfish
- worms
- sea sponges
- seafood
As the number of species that are part of the vertebrate and invertebrate animal group is very large, it is practically impossible to elaborate a full list that includes all animals in each group. However, through the aforementioned characteristics, it is very easy to differentiate between vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
The examples of the numerous animals that inhabit the animal kingdom and their different characteristics also encourage awareness of the biodiversity of our planet and about the need for its preservation.
If you want to read more articles similar to Examples of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.